


Rag Tag

by chewbecca0



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Banter, Dorian is a Good Friend, F/M, M/M, Mutual Pining, Rare Pairings, SO MUCH FLUFF, Sassy Inquisitor, Slow Burn, Someone stop me..., but she knows her way around daggers, mage inquisitor, seriously...so much sass, there might be some side relationships
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-19
Updated: 2018-07-23
Packaged: 2019-06-13 00:22:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,333
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15352110
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chewbecca0/pseuds/chewbecca0
Summary: If anyone had told Taeja that she would be wandering around various locations with a rag tag band of misfits...well she might have believed you. However if that same person had told her that she would be the leader of said band of rag tag misfits, be hunkered down in a giant castle on the top of a mountain (found by some weird egg head shaped Crotchety old elf with a constant look of disapproval), and have a hand that suddenly glows green, there is a possibility she might not have believed you.





	1. This shit is weird...

**Author's Note:**

> First time writing a DA fic, I woke up inspired and then this happened....I don't have a beta so all mistakes are mine, that being said if you fancy being a beta let me know and we'll kiki about it.  
> I LOVE the DA universe, I think it was so well developed and I'm really excited to play around with it. It's going to follow canon pretty well, with my own kind of spin on things to make it new and shiny for all you wonderful people.  
> Comments welcome! Critiques are too, but please be kind. I'm just doing this for fun so no fire and pitch forks please <3  
> First chapter is pretty short, just to give you all a taste, going forward chapters will be longer.  
> Alright I'll stop rambling....ENJOY!

Taeja woke up much like she did any other morning, except she wasn't in her own clothes...or her own bed...or anywhere even remotely familiar....and there was a nervous little elf carrying linen and looking at her like she thought Taeja was going to eat her alive.  
It took everything in her to use actual words, and not just throw a lightening bolt at this stranger who was possibly just watching her sleep...while holding linens.  
"Where am I exactly? Who are you exactly? Are those my clothes?" Taeja asked, proud of herself for making actual words.  
The little elf, now having moved passed nervous and simply onto terrified, dropped the pile in her hands, threw herself down onto the ground bowing and rambling out a stream of "Oh! I'm terribly sorry my lady, please forgive me, oh maker I'm so sorry!"  
Satisfied that the scared creature before her wasn't infact an evil mastermind who had kidnapped her, Taeja set out to try and calm her down. "Why are you frightened? I'm not going to hurt you I promise. I just wish to know where I am, and how I got here."  
"You're in Haven my lady, lady Cassandra brought you here after you stopped the breach, you've been out for days my lady." the elf replied hurridly.  
Sudden flashes of a glowing sky, and a tall stern looking woman yelling things popped into Taeja's mind "That sounds vaguely familiar...minus the me being a lady part."  
"At once!" The nervous elf suddenly yelled, making Taeja jump a little. "Lady Cassandra said at once! Oh maker forgive me, she said she wanted to see you at once!" And with that the little elf who's name Taeja never even got, fled from the room faster than a Halla from a wolf.  
"Well...that wasn't weird." She thought to herself as she got out of bed. Leaning down to the pile of linen the elf had dropped she noticed they were indeed her own clothes, freshly washed and folded, and breathed a small sigh of relief at something familiar as she began to dress. Noticing a chill she grabbed the furs off the bed and wrapped them around her as she ventured outside, not even remotely prepared for what was waiting for her.


	2. The Herald of What Now?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Taeja meets the core leaders of this mess she has found herself in. Some she's met before, some she swears she's seen before, and some are brand new! Oh and apparently she's the Herald of Andraste...so there's that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I'm starting to introduce some of the core characters in these next few chapters, starting with our illustrious leaders. In my version of the events Leliana wasn't with Cassandra at the beginning when you first wake up in handcuffs, it's important to the plot going forward that she wasn't introduced to Taeja until Haven. I tried to find a way around it, but it was just easier in the end to write her out of that whole beginning part (:  
> If anyone has any ideas of what they want to see from their favorite characters, or fun situations for our little elf to find herself in, don't be afraid to throw things into the comment section! <3

Two rows of people, leading along a path to a larger building in the center of what seemed to be some sort of compound, is what was waiting for her outside the small hut. Taeja started walking along the path, hoping she would find some answers in the large building the rows of people led to.  
"Very...very weird.." she mumbled to herself, as people nodded to her and whispered things like "She's the one! The Herald of Andraste. She's the one who stopped the breach from getting any bigger." Hurrying her steps she finally reached the building, and just before opening it, heard a whispered "I thought she was supposed to close the breach though?" Well...can't please everyone she thought as she pushed open the large doors.  
The first thing she noticed when she walked inside was the yelling, it sounded like an argument between Cassandra and that Chancellor fellow she met the other day. As she got closer to the door the yelling was coming from she realized that it was infact Cassandra, and they were arguing about Taeja and whether or not to ship her off to Val Royeux for execution. Oh lovely...  
"She must be brought to Val Royeux, and tried by whomever becomes the next divine! She is guilty Seeker Pentaghost!"  
"No, she is not. Ah and here she is." Cassandra said turning to meet Taeja.  
"So....lovely weather you all have here. About that whole execution, trial thing..."  
"You will not be executed, becaue there won't be a trial, because you are not guilty." Cassandra's thick accent replied, easing Taeja's nerves, until Rodderick, turned to her and jabbed a finger at her yelling "She killed Divine Justinia! She must pay for what she has done! Not to mention she is an apostate, how can you of all people just ignore this?"  
"Apostate or not, she stopped the breach and I do not believe she is guilty."  
"But she -" Rodderick began only to be cut off by Cassandra slamming a giant book onto the table, enough to make both Taeja and Rodderick jump. "Do I need to remind you of this Chancellor?" And apparently she didn't need to remind him, as he threw his hands into the air, stated "This isn't over." and stormed out of the room. Taeja half expected a "muahaha" to come out of his mouth.  
Taeja turned to Cassandra after left and gave her a small smile. "Thanks for that, the whole not sending me off to be executed thing I mean."  
"It was nothing, I was wrong about you, perhaps I still am...but Rodderick is a bully and you did as much as you could under the circumstances." Cassandra replied looking down at the large book she had on the table. "Do you know much about the Maker? About Andraste? Being Daelish I mean?"  
Taeja huffed out a small laugh at being called Dalish and replied "Yeah I know a thing or two, why?"  
"I believe you were sent to us by the Maker, in our darkest time of need. That mark on your hand cannot simply be coincidence, that--"  
"Is that old bastard gone?" A deep gruff voice called from the door, interrupting whatever Cassandra was about to say. "Oh I do hope we're not interrupting." A polite Antivian accent said following.  
Turning around Taeja noticed the deep voiced belonged to none other than Commander Cullen, who she had met in the mountains already, hard to forget that face. Following him was the Antivian woman wearing the mostly gawdy gold outfit Taeja had ever seen.

Behind them both a red headed woman, who seemed vaguely familiar, smirked and said "I hope we are interrupting, there is much to discuss." Ah...Orlesian then, judging off the distinct accent.  
Giving the Orelesian rogue a pointed look, Cassandra's eyes swept across the newest inhabitant of the room they were all gathered in. "Good you're all here, allow me to introduce you to everyone. You already met Commander Cullen on the field."  
"A pleasure, I'm happy to see you made it out relatively unscathed." Cullen replied with a smile and a small nod.  
"This is Lady Josephine Montilyet our ambassador and chief diplomat" Cassandra gestured with a nod towards the Antivian in the gawdy gold.  
"Andaran atish’an, we're happy to have you here with us."  
Taeja looked at the Antivan, Josephine. "You speak Elvish?" It was rare to come across anyone who spoke Elvish, particularly someone who oozed Orlesian finery.  
"Ah, you've heard the entirety of it, I'm afraid." she replied somewhat sheepishly.  
"And this of course is Sister Leliana." Cassandra finished, looking at the red headed rogue.  
"My position here involves a degree of--"  
"She is our spy master."  
"Yes...tactfully put Cassandra." She said with a slight up turn to her lips, noting some small annoyance at the bluntness.  
Taeja glanced around at everyone, tugging the fur blanket she had grabbed closer around her she suddenly feeling very out of place in a room full of positions and titles. "That's quite the list of titles heh...where do I fit in?" She said looking at Cassandra for answers.  
"To put it plainly, your mark. We succeeded in stopping the breach thanks to you, from getting any larger, but that still leaves it open and us vulnerable. We need to find a way to get your mark more power so that we may close the breach for good."  
"Which means we must approach the rebel mages for their help." Leliana stated as if that was simply fact. Cullen didn't seem to agree however as he spoke up in favor of approaching the templars, hardly surprisingy since he clearly was one, or perhaps used to be one. It was clear as day to her since the first time she met him, his fighting style, the way he held himself, it all screamed templar.  
"Templars could surpress the breach, weaken it so--"  
"Pure speculation."  
"I was a templer, I know what they're capable of."  
Called it, Taeja thought to herself with a smirk.  
"Unfortunately neither group will even speak to us yet, the Chantry has denounced the inquisition, and you specifically." Josephine said with a gesture towards her.  
"Well...that didn't take very long did it?"  
"Some are calling you, a Dalish elf, the Herald of Andraste. Which has frightened the Chantry, the remaining clerics have declared it blasphemy, and we heretics for harbouring you."  
"No doubt Rodderick's doing." Cassandra said with obvious disgust at the Chancellor.  
"Yes well it limits our options for now, as we hold no influence to sway either side in this war." Josephine finished.  
Taeja was well aware people were speaking, but if she was honest she mostly stopped listening after the whole Herald of Andraste thing. Of course she had heard it whispered earlier today as she did that awkward walk from the hut she woke up in, to here, but it was an entirely different thing to hear it said in this context.  
"I'm sorry, can we go back to the whole Herald of Andraste thing? Just one question, how do people figure I'm this Herald?"  
Cassandra, bless her was the answering voice "People saw what you did with the breach at the temple, how you stopped it from growing. They have also heard about the woman seen in the rift when we first found you. They believe that was Andraste. People everywhere are talking about you."  
Cullen let out what Taeja could only assume was a chuckle before turning to her. "Quite the title isn't it? How does it make you feel?"  
"Oh I feel super...blasphemy, people talking about me, epectations. All my favorite things really." If any of them picked up on the sarcasm dripping from her response they didn't say anything. The next hour consisted of coming up with some sort of plan to aquire agents, and influence.  
Taeja ended up leaving the room with the task of gathering a group to meet someone named Mother Giselle in the Hinterlands. First however, she had a dwarf to talk to.


	3. Dwarves and Mothers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our little elf gets some words of encouragement from her favorite dwarf.  
> Is a snowflake.  
> Makes bad decisions.  
> And becomes dummy number 4.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you like this story so far please leave kudos and comments!  
> (No beta, all mistakes are mine.)

Walking through Haven Taeja took in the scene before her, the place was impressive consdering how quickly it must have all been thrown together.  
Tents and huts lined every visible path, and clusters of people gathered gossiping, or just seeking comfort and normality in each other amidst the chaos they were in the middle of.  
It was no doubt a beautiful place, white snow draped over nearly every surface seemingly brightening up everything around them. Even the green haze ever present from the rift was strangely beautiful.  
Which is how Taeja knew she was losing her mind. She just used rift and beautiful in the same thought. She really needed to get her shit together, and only one person in this whole place could put her mind at any kind of ease.  
"Hey Snowflake, what brings you to my humble abode today?" Varric spoke, breaking Taeja out of her haze.  
Snowflake was a nickname she had quickly earned from the dwarf on their travels through the mountains.  
When she had asked him why he had chosen it, he simply replied that at one point during their hike he thought she disappeared because her long pure white hair blended in with the snow, and he had a momentary panic that he would have to explain to Cassandra how they lost her already.  
"You know I couldn't resist being apart from you for too long." She replied with a flirtatious smirk.  
"It's the chest hair isn't it? Ladies go crazy for the chest hair. So now that Cassandra is out of ear shot, how are you holding up kid?"  
Taeja laughed "Oh you know, I have a weird glowing hand, I'm the Herald of some god I don't even believe in, and I'm pretty sure Josephine is already drawing up plans to shove me into some gawdy outfit she deems more appropriate for my current stature. So I'm doing really great."  
Even laced with humor, and makeshift confidence, she knew she couldn't have hidden the clear nervousness from her voice from Varric. He was far too astute not to have noticed, she just hoped he would be kind enough not to mention it.  
"Scared shitless eh?"  
So much for not mentioning it.  
"No beating around the bush Snowflake, it's a lot to take in. I mean most people spread this kind of thing out over a couple weeks. Have you considered running at the first opportunity?"  
Part of her knew he was joking, but in all honestly she had thought of running.  
"I think it's too late for that now, I'm far too invested. I'm rather fond of staying alive, and Cassandra made it pretty clear without my glowy hand there wouldn't be much of a chance for anyone. No pressure right?"  
"Got to love the way the Seeker doesn't beat around the bush eh? Well if it's any consolation I've got your back kid. I've seen what this kind of thing does to heros, I'd hate it to beat the sass out of you."  
Although he had said it with a smile, Taeja saw a shadow of something in his eyes that spoke louder than his words ever could.  
She knew a little of his history with the Champion of Kirkwall from her travels, heard whispers of the sadness that followed the Champions easy jokes, and in that moment she was never more grateful that she had met Varric Tethras.  
"Demons and fade rifts are no match for my quick wit, and sass don't you worry my fun sized friend. Now come on, let me buy you a drink. I can tell you all about the fun new mission our illustrious leaders have assigned us."  
As they walked together to the tavern Taeja found herself calmer than she had been since she woke up, and with a night of drinking with her favorite dwarf on the horizon, she thought maybe things weren't so bad after all.  
Boy was she wrong.

~

Waking up the next morning, she instantly regretted everything.  
Why she thought drinking the night before would be a good idea, she honestly didn't know. There was a busy day ahead with heading into the Hinterlands so see this Mother, and she knew she needed to speak with both Cassandra and Cullen before heading out.  
Maybe a quick stop at Adans for some potion before they leave.

Wrapping her fur blankets around her she dragged herself out of her hut, and started down the path towards the Commander and his men.  
The loud clanging of metal on metal did nothing to help her current state, and she wished that she had stopped at Adan's before heading into the loudest area in Haven.  
She really does make the best decisions.  
As the clanging got louder she pulled her blankets up around her head attempting to block out the sounds, not caring that she looked like a crazy person as her long white hair poked out from around the blanket.  
"Herald." Cullen greeted with a nod as Taeja got close enough to hear him over the noise.  
Ever the gentleman, he didn't comment on her clear state of dishevelment, but Taeja could have sworn she caught a small smirk at the corners of his mouth.  
"Do your men need to fight so very loudly? It is after all frighteningly early in the morning."  
"I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it is in fact mid noon. However if you have any suggestions on how they may fight quieter please don't hesitate to share."  
"Maybe they can fight with pillows." She grumbled to herself. He was definitely smirking now, and he was definitely mocking her. Wait...had he said mid noon?  
"Did you say mid noon?!" She screeched loudly dropping her blanket, and effectively unleashing a mass of messy white hair whipping around in the wind as she flailed her hands ever so gracefully.  
"Oh gods Cassandra is going to kill me, we were supposed to leave early this morning. Why didn't anyone wake me up? Do you think I can run faster than her? Because if she catches me I am definitely dead." As she continued wordlessly mumbling and pacing around franticly, she was drawn out of her panic by a low chuckle.  
Oh...that was a nice sound.  
"Well that would explain why our seeker has gone through three practice dummies since this morning."  
"Three practice dummies?! I'm the fourth! I'm the fourth practice dummy!" She yelled, running back to her hut to get dressed and grab her daggers. She would probably need some sort of protection when she finally faced Cassandra.

~

"Cassandra! There you are, I've been looking everywhere for you. We really must be on our way if we're to make it to the Hinterlands before nightfall."  
Looking back Taeja realized this probably wasn't the best way to go, but now she was committed to the nonchalance.  
Turning to look at her Cassandra lowered her sword, and took a practiced breath.  
"Perhaps, if you hadn't thrown magic snowballs at anyone that tried to wake you up we could have been there already."  
Oh gods has she really done that?  
"What? Noooo that doesn't sound like me."  
"Indeed. Let us grab the others and head out, if you're quite done. We have much ground to cover."  
Shit...she would really have to think of some way to make it up to the Seeker, maybe buy her a sturdier dummy. Shaped like Taeja.

As the little group headed out, Taeja cursed at the realization she never did get to stop in to Adan's and get that potion.  
Letting out a loud groan she earned a glare from Cassandra, a laugh from Varric, and the utter look of indifference from Solas...so pretty much the same as any other day.  
"Doing okay there Snowflake?" Varric asked with a chuckle.  
"Please don't let me make any more bad decisions Varric. I looked such a sight this morning that even our uptight Commander couldn't contain his laughter and mocked me. He mocked me Varric!" She said with an exaggerated pout.  
"Aww I'm sure you looked the very picture of beauty and grace kid. And hey you got the Commander to laugh, that in and of itself seems to be quite the feat, I might even need to write it into my book."  
Taeja looked at Varric with wide eyes.  
"You're already planning a book about all this? Oh gods please tell me I'm not in it."  
"Now would I do that to you?" He replied, twinkle in his eye.  
"Yes...yes you would."  
"Snowflake walked out onto the battlefield, blanket draped over her head, wild white hair whipping across her face--"  
"Please stop..."  
"Staring down the menacing rift, with the grace, and dignity only a wild Dalish elf could possess."  
"I beg of you, end my suffering."  
"As our hero began throwing snowballs at the rift, us common folk could only look on with awe as she took down the rift and demons one snowball at a time."  
"Are you quite done?"  
Seemingly satisfied with his particular brand of torture, Varric chuckled and gave into her demands, nodding and ending her suffering.  
"Thank you. You're the worst you know that?" Taeja said with mock anger.  
Truthfully she was thankful for the distraction as the small group trekked through the hills to the Hinterlands.  
Cassandra was leading them in the front, clearly still put out by this morning, Solas following close behind her, doing...Solas things. Leaving her and Varric trailing behind in the back tossing back banter like old friends to pass the time.


End file.
